


lost in the in-between

by chuntao



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 11:14:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15840117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chuntao/pseuds/chuntao
Summary: Even as he cries, Jongdae looks beautiful.(His hands are empty save for a few sparks that jump from finger to finger, pressing one last kiss to each of the digits before dissipating entirely).or, that luchen AU with fae, politics, and closely resembling MAMA-powers magic.





	lost in the in-between

**Author's Note:**

> prompt no. 125

The version of truth the Seelie Court operates under is the truth of appearances. Strength and power are valued, but beauty alone is _worshipped_. Indeed, there’s a reason why the fae of the Seelie Court are always depicted as ethereal, and beautiful creatures. Each member of the court is just as statuesque as the next; all striking features with figures said to have been sculpted by the gods.

They titter into the ears of weary travellers who never find their way back home, voice airy as distant windchimes yet alluring and striking as the deep toll of a church bell. A companion accompanies the fae on these bewitching adventures, lingering as the fae gently lead the humans astray and into the forest depths. Only the humans who are lucky enough to avoid laying eyes on the fae manage to make it through the forest alive. All others who bear witness to a fae’s beauty never return.

Lacking the vocabulary and sheer knowledge to label the fae’s companions, humans refer to them as spirit animals, counterparts to the fae and their mischief. Where a fae goes, their spirit animal follows, combined through soul and magic. However, the fae have a different term for them, nothing so rudimental and uninspired as _spirit animal_. No, their familiars are part of them, and deserve far more than the title of a mere spirit animal.

A familiar comes hand in hand with the fae's magic abilities - the greater the magic, the greater the spirit animal. Queens with unfathomable magic abilities, the Queen of the Seelie Court and the Queen of the Unseelie Court are the only fae who possess _dragons_ as familiars; a creature so mighty not even the strongest of fae and their familiar may stand against it and come out alive. Rumours have speculated that should they bear their own offspring, descendants of the Queens may also wield a dragon; as power runs deep in blood ties. But even now, the stories of a Queen’s Child never drift beyond that of fables and fantasy – even in the realm of the fae.

It's a temperate spring day, gentle breeze combing through the green leaves of the treetops as it passes by. A red fox slips between the legs of a weary traveller, nipping at his ankles and digging its claws into worn shoes. The man kicks out, only for the fox to vanish and reappear at the ankle of his other foot. Again, the human expresses its anger and it shouts in irritation, bending down and blindly groping at the nearby foliage in search of the missing fox.

From the overhead trees a human-like figure sits on a stretched-out branch, legs kicking out and amused laughter filling the woods, echoing in the small clearing the human occupies. Looking up and around his surroundings, the human lets out another shout, hands shaking as it yells curses and threats at the unseen source of its torment. The laughter doesn't stop; the fae in the tree clutching his stomach as his familiar sneaks in another nip at the man's ankles. About to tease the human again, the fae opens his mouth to speak only for a second voice to interrupt him, "Jongdae". It's unamused, the fae it belongs to crossing his arms as he stands on an opposite branch, staring down at his charge, "Stop teasing the human".

"But Junmyeon," a whine and the seated fae looks up from the human and across the clearing to his guardian, "We were just having innocent fun. This one squirms so much, I was hoping to coax him to madness". Even as he protests, the fae's familiar returns to his side, small red fox burrowing under a rested palm and pressing up into the touch as little sparks shoot out between its fur coat and Jongdae's hand.

"Come". Just as quickly as he had emerged, Junmyeon disappears again, leaving the clearing empty save for the shouting human, the fae, and his familiar. Sighing, Jongdae stands from the branch, patting away non-existent dirt from his thighs. Perhaps the human would return and they could play again on a day when Junmyeon was more _giving_ to Jongdae’s inclinations of mischief.

(In the end, it didn't matter what Jongdae thought. No matter what Junmyeon asked of him, Jongdae would follow - that was their defined dynamic).

⊶

Jongdae has always been strong, has always thrived under Junmyeon’s guidance. In the beginning it was hard for Jongdae, a fae child wielding magic far too great and unstable to control. Just as one coil of his magic would yield, another would spring up from submission, breaking free and leisurely ebbing out from his grasp. However, like all stories of successful and powerful fae, Jongdae succeeds in quelling his magic. Eventually, he calls upon blue lightning that ignites the earth with every bolt, lighting Jongdae’s features in a way that makes even the most stubborn of fae dub him _ethereal_.

“You are lucky to be born beautiful,” Junmyeon states one evening. They’re sprawled out in the middle of a grass field, Jongdae’s lightning effortlessly burying itself into empty spaces around them; tinting the blades of green into an effervescent blue as it strikes hard into the soil. To a human, the words might hint to a confession. But to Jongdae, it’s nothing more than a cautionary reminder. A reminder that even with strong magic, in the Seelie Court he would have been nothing if he had not been beautiful as well.

Lightning strikes around them and when Jongdae meets Junmyeon’s eyes his own flash with the same brilliant blue.

“And you are lucky to have me”.

It was Jongdae that thrust Junmyeon into the higher ranks of the courts. At birth, Jongdae had been abandoned without a fae to raise him in sight – an unprecedented act in the Seelie Court, as only through one’s offspring may their own status grow. In the end, Junmyeon had taken him in. Tied to one of the oldest families in the court yet unwilling to find his own partner to bond with, to raise his status through, Junmyeon had taken a risk and took the small fae into his care. If he could make Jongdae great, then he too, could be great.

It was the best decision Junmyeon has ever made.

Initially, Jongdae's magic was explosive, bright bursts of brilliant blue crackling from the pores in his skin; violently protesting under the fae’s attempted control. Seelie magic was built on the fundamentals of control, reigning in their magic to bend and shape it to their will. Without control, one could not call oneself powerful. But to control one's magic masterfully without magic that was strong was equally as useless. Magic like Jongdae’s was rare and far between, powerful to a fault that control came to the fae long after what was regarded as conventional. Even now, his magic is just _barely_ stable. Existing on a thin middle-ground between chaos and controlled order.

(More often than not, Jongdae feels as if his magic follows his will simply to humour him).

However, just as Jongdae's magic was rare, so was his beauty. No one could have predicted that the small child from so long ago would have grown into the fae he is now. Almost regal, he walks with his head held high, fully aware of the rarity of what he possesses. Even without control, Jongdae's magic was strong, and with beauty that the court was helpless to worship and pine for, Jongdae was thrust far higher into the Seelie Court than any fae could have predicted.

To have a fae like Jongdae in his possession set Junmyeon in the favour of the court and the Queen, all but guaranteeing him a successful future in the Seelie Court by the time Jongdae had grown to full adulthood.

(It's not as if Junmyeon's benefit was alone in this relationship. Without Junmyeon, Jongdae would have most certainly been killed. No child of the Seelie Court could be left without guidance, and had Junmyeon not have taken him in, Jongdae would have been killed long ago on that very day he was brought before the court).

⊶

Familiars were made from the essence of a fae's magic. Only when their magic had fully matured (and with it, their control) were fae able to manifest a familiar: an animal of some sorts, bound together by soul and magic; an unconditional friend in a fae’s life.

Unlike many, Jongdae's familiar appears by accident.

Crouched down in the middle of an empty field, thick sparks leak from Jongdae’s hands as he calls down thunderbolt after thunderbolt of blue lightning down from the sky. Above him, thunder roars and a dense grey rolls in, the lightning flashing bright against its dim surroundings. As much as he tries to concentrate his magic, it keeps overflowing, saturating the atmosphere around him with traces of his own wild magic. Jaw clenched, he watches as the lightning bolts get closer and closer until they're upon him. One moment striking a yard away and the next mere centimetres away from the tips of his fingers.

The next thunderbolt hits him.

Jongdae’s vision goes white and he swears he can feel the lightning as it courses through his body, thrumming with positive charge as it seeks to rid itself of the excess energy from the bolt of lightning. Only then does his magic concentrate. It condenses itself, using Jongdae’s body as a conductor and fraying the tips of his hair, burning itself down to the soles of his feet. His fingers no longer emit sparks but instead release the next bolt of lightning from his own two palms, the kickback sending him flying back across the field.

When he falls into the grass, Jongdae stares up at the sky, momentarily unsure if he's still living as the clouds overhead oscillate in and out of focus. A flash of red peers into his line of sight and his eyes focus in on a small fox, red fur sparking with remnant magic and Jongdae _knows_ that this is his familiar. Even if the sparks are red instead of the blue of his magic, he can feel his magic within the fox pulse with life. Above all, it felt _right_.

(They never figure out why his familiar sparks red rather than blue).

Since his creation, the fox spends every waking moment with Jongdae, possessing the same poise as he rides tall and proud on the fae's shoulder. In a way, the fox is Jongdae's best friend. It’s dangerous to get attached in the Seelie Court, but a fae’s familiar offered reprieve from the tumultuous politics and betrayals that ran rampant in the environment. If one were to trust, they could trust their familiar, and their familiar alone. Even after knowing Junmyeon for all these years, Jongdae would still hesitate to _trust_ the fae – but his trust for his familiar is instantaneous and unconditional.

⊶

It’s the dead of winter when Jongdae notices that something’s off for the first time. Tendrils of magic lift off his familiar’s small frame, red sparks disappearing with the chilling winter breeze. The cold affects the familiar as it huddles close, burrowing into Jongdae’s neck as shelter from winter’s cold touch. While his familiar had always been attached, Jongdae had never witnessed the familiar seeking proximity in response to the _cold_. Familiars were supposed to be immune to many of the natural ailments which the fae were susceptible, and yet, Jongdae’s familiar was pushing in closer and closer because he was _cold_.

Later, in the spring, they’re playing along the pathways that the human’s frequent. Jongdae’s laugh fills the woods, loud and boisterous as he pulls his familiar close. They spot a traveller along the pathway and both Jongdae and his familiar are far too used to this routine. Jumping down from its spot in the treetops, the fox finds purchase in the soil and circles the human, howling. When the human kicks out in agitation, the fox disappears, ready to reappear out of harm’s reach and continue its antics. Only, this time it takes him longer to reappear. Whereas before the familiar would have manifested itself mere seconds later, Jongdae’s familiar doesn’t appear again until the human has long gone, Jongdae jumping down from the tree with clear worry in his expression.

Something was very, very wrong.

The fateful day comes during the summer, sky lit a beautiful purple twilight as the sun threatens to rise in the forest of the fae. Curled in his lap, the fox keens pitifully, red sparks flickering at the tip of its tail. One by one, the flickering slows and then ceases, sputtering pathetically to darkness. He's disappearing. Jongdae can feel his own magic in the creature unravelling in red-hot fire that seeks to dismantle every inch of his magic that has gone into creating his companion. This isn’t _supposed_ to happen. Desperate, the lone fae clings to his familiar, attempting to grasp onto the magic that seeks to unbind itself and take his friend away.

Even as he cries, Jongdae looks beautiful.

(His hands are empty save for a few sparks that jump from finger to finger, pressing one last kiss to each of the digits before dissipating entirely).

There's no time to properly mourn as minutes later, Junmyeon is standing by his side, expression stoic as his own familiar shakes from its place on his shoulder. No fae is without a familiar - once a familiar is summoned, it is by its fae's side forever. For Jongdae's familiar to have disappeared means something serious indeed.

"You have been summoned".

 ⊶

The Seelie Court is every bit as beautiful and refined as the human storybooks depict it. White-barked trees cover a grassy clearing, slabs of marble nestled into the greenery in a semblance of connecting pathways. Strong branches that smell of spring and lavender tangle together to create a covering, letting in golden slats of sunshine that slip through the leaves and illuminate the equally as beautiful fae that inhabit the court. Iridescent blues, pinks, and purples litter the details of the court; sapphires and amethysts shimmering as they adorn an opulent throne at the centre.

Queen Titania sits atop the throne, undeniably a crowning masterpiece despite the splendid scene which surrounds her. Taller than any human or fae, she moves with inhuman grace as even the light seems to bend to her will. Her hair is brighter than any summer’s day and glistens like gold, kissed by the gods. Her lips are a soft pastel blue, only undercut by her eyes: a contrasting sharp icy-cold blue. Clothed in layers of silks, she watches over the court with a relaxed eye; knowing full well that she faces no challengers. Her throne resembles her familiar, claws of the Dragon of Light curling under her forearms, and the head of the beast hanging down next to her neck as a reminder to all, the power which she harnesses.

“Jongdae”. Wordlessly, she stretches out a hand, beckoning the fae closer to her throne. Jongdae takes his steps slowly, head bowed more out of sheer grief than respect to the queen; tears still fresh in his eyes. On any other day, Jongdae would have never allowed himself this. Would never had allowed him to show such an _unsightly_ and _weak_ image to the Seelie Court. For a court which thrives on control, Jongdae had always lacked control over his emotions, but losing one’s familiar hinted to a level of disgrace unbeknownst to any other fae in the clearing.

“You are a fae condemned to a fate without hope of salvation or retribution. The magic that resides inside of you is volatile at best. Truly, the magic of the Unseelie Court.” The queen reaches out, long fingernail pressing down into the juncture of Jongdae’s throat. Even without her nail against his throat, Jongdae is breathless in the wake of her beauty. “It seeks to leak from your putrid soul and infect us all – our choice is obvious”.

Murmurs overtake the court as soon as the Queen finishes speaking. What she suggested, what she _implied_ was unheard of. A fae of the Unseelie Court raised as one of their own? The mere thought of it was _preposterous_.

Fae of the Unseelie Court were known to be unsightly creatures. Lacking the control that the Seelie Court so highly valued, they were _uncivilised_ at best. Despite Jongdae’s rich features, it makes sense the more the fae whisper among themselves. His magic has never been stable, has always lacked the raw finesse that every other fae of the Seelie Court seemed to harness naturally.

Indeed, the pieces fit. Raised as a fae of the Seelie, Jongdae was anything but.

No. He was not one of them.

He was a fae of the Unseelie.

She’s pressing down, fingers dwarfing Jongdae as they wrap around the circumference of his neck. Centimetre by centimetre. Tighter and tighter and Jongdae swears he can see his lightning flicker in the darkness that begins to cloud his vision.

This was the end.

“Stop,” it’s Junmyeon’s voice, assuring and stable as ever, “I have a proposal”. Collectively, the court turns to face the speaker; the Queen’s grip on Jongdae’s throat loosening just enough for him to turn his head and face Junmyeon, vision clearing. “If he is a fae of the Unseelie, then he should return to his roots. Let him depart our court and seek the aid of the Unseelie fae – there is no reason for us to bother with a fae who is not one of our own”.

Perhaps if Jongdae had not been raised in the Seelie Court he would have felt hurt by Junmyeon’s words. Perhaps if he had been raised by anyone but Junmyeon he would fail to detect the sheer amount of _emotion_ in the other fae’s voice. While his words may be cold, Jongdae can read Junmyeon better than any other fae in this court. He can hear the strain in his voice, can see the anger that courses through him as water drips from clenched fists. For as often as they feigned nonchalance towards each other, Junmyeon like this was as transparent as glass.

“You suggest a fair proposal,” Titania speaks slowly, the words a long drawl as her nail drags lines across Jongdae’s skin, “but is the court of the Seelie _fair_?”

“Then merciful,” Junmyeon’s voice is unwavering, knowing full well that if he gives any ground the Queen will snatch it away, “Let us be merciful in offering a wretched creature of the Unseelie a mere prospect of living among his own obscene kind”.

Thoughtful, she tilts her head, blue lips curling into an amused smile at the toy before her, “Today, we shall be ‘merciful’”. She lets go of Jongdae’s neck in a swift motion, hand pulling back and figure straightening to her full height as she towers over him. Jongdae is left panting, painfully craning his neck up to meet her gaze, “Bear in mind, you will receive no help from the Seelie Court. You are not one of us – your magic does not abide by our rules.

“You must seek advice from the Unseelie Court and their queen. We, the Seelie Court and its fae, will have nothing more to do with you and your unsavoury magic. If you manage to procure a position in the Unseelie Court, we shall leave you be. You will no longer be our filth to clean but theirs”.

“But first, let me give you a present before you depart. Show me your arm,” Jongdae raises his arm to her, transfixed as she pulls him closer, tugging at his arm until he winces from the sharp angle her height creates. From Titania’s fingers a thick stem snakes down Jongdae’s arm and wraps itself impossibly tight around his forearm. His arm bruises purple as it sinks into soft skin, stem tightening until the outlines of lilies press themselves into his skin like a tattoo; white buds still firmly closed.

“If you have failed to procure a position in the Unseelie Court by the time these lilies have bloomed, you shall return to us to greet your death”.

⊶

When Jongdae leaves, he doesn’t look back. Doesn’t turn to see what expression Junmyeon looks at him with as he walks away; knowing full well what heartbreak looks like on the other man’s face. Junmyeon has always been too emotional for his own good.

Jongdae travels, and with each passing day, the stems sink deeper into his skin, bleeding sparks of blue magic that scorch the ground beneath him. At night he stares up at the stars and tries to etch his familiar’s red colouring into his mind. Tries to ease himself into the information that Queen Titania had presented in the Seelie Court. Since the beginning he had always been different, but Jongdae doubts that either him nor Junmyeon predicted just _how_ different he was.

He had only heard stories of the Unseelie Court. Murmurings had informed him that it consisted of nothing but barbaric fae who wielded _wild_ magic that they themselves could hardly control. In this way, they were dangerous by sheer definition. It goes without saying that no fae unable to control their magic could be considered _safe_ nor _civilised_.

To the fae of the Seelie Court, those that resided in the Unseelie Court were tainted. They ruled not only fae, but a variety of mutants; access to the court unrestricted given the individual had ancestral fae blood. Their lack of control over their magic most certainly stemmed from this alone, for only the full-blooded fae in the Seelie Court could participate in activities. As only the full-blooded were worthy to look upon the Queen and her throne.

Yet Jongdae was one of them – a tainted fae of the Unseelie Court.

By the time he arrives, the court is already assembled.

They’ve been waiting for him.

⊷

Twisted columns and gnarled trees shoot up high into the sky, thickening to cover the court in a dark mass of crossed tree limbs. Unnaturally large flowers hang from broken-off branches, weeping golden pollen from their blood-red petals that dusts the ground below them. There is nothing conventionally beautiful about the Unseelie Court. Yet Jongdae thinks it’s the most beautiful place he’s ever seen. Beneath his feet, rounded opals and rubies replace gravel as they’re scattered into a pathway to the throne. Rather than placed in the centre of the court, the Queen of Air and Darkness sits on a throne that’s removed from the main court, allowing her to watch over the festivities from afar.

As he approaches the queen and her throne, pollen brushes against his shoulder, illuminating sprinkled golden highlights against his cheekbones before fading away. Each step shifts the precious stones under Jongdae’s feet, catching his attention as he looks down and sees his own reflection in the unearthly luminescence of the rubies.

(Red has always suited him).

For all the talk he had heard of the Unseelie Court and its queen, the Queen of Air and Darkness is nothing as Jongdae had envisioned her. The fae of the Seelie had always suspected that the Queen of Air and Darkness kept her face hidden from visitors and her court alike, claiming that her features were so putrid that just one look could burn your eyes beyond the point of any return. But as he stands before her throne, Jongdae finds the Queen just as alluring as Titania herself, if not more.

Rubies adorn her throne, shaped into the visage of her familiar, the Shadow Dragon, just as Titania’s throne was. Rubies gleam in the darkness, staring back from where they’re nestled into the dragon’s eyes as its sculpted figure curls around the throne. The queen is smaller than Titania, smaller than Jongdae even. Where Titania is tall and foreboding, the Queen of the Unseelie court is unassuming and almost _dainty_ to the untrained eye. Only when he’s standing mere yards away does Jongdae _feel_ her magic pressing down onto his shoulders, threatening to force him down onto his knees.

 “Oh? You are interesting. Come kneel child and let me look at you closely”. Jongdae does as he’s beckoned, kneeling before the Unseelie Queen so that she sits higher than him, perched in her seat. Like this, he takes in her dainty features, eyes drawn to the slow slope of her nose and large curious eyes like that of a child that look him over. Reaching out, she runs a small hand across the white buds tattooed on Jongdae’s forearm and he shivers, watching as even the petals shake in her presence.

“My name is Jongdae of the Seelie Court. I have come to you with unforeseen circumstances which casts me out from my own, and into your domain. One week ago, my familiar disappeared and Queen Titania determined the cause. Despite being raised under the laws and guidance of the Seelie Court, I am not born to the Seelie. Rather, I am originally born to the Unseelie, and thus my training under the Seelie has rendered me and my magic incompetent.

“These lilies that decorate my forearm countdown to my death and I humbly request that you save me from this fate by allowing me to enter your court, for only then may I live peacefully”.

She looks at him almost with _fondness_ , small hands stroking across his cheekbones with a thoughtful tilt of her head, words vague, “You’ve grown well child, but the second half of your journey begins”. Tenderness disappearing as quickly as it had come she drops her hand and meets his eyes with a newfound sharpness that felt unsuited to someone with her features, “I’ll make you a deal, Jongdae of the Seelie Court. The Unseelie Court shall welcome you into our ranks on one condition.

“You see, your magic is not only dangerous to the Seelie, but to the Unseelie Court as well. If you fail to reign in your magic and no one is there to put you down, you won’t simply _die_. You’ve heard of _them_ haven’t you? The lost fae which prey on others and steal their magic?”

Jongdae nods, all fae had heard of them. Part of neither courts, those that let their magic go unchecked were often consumed by it all. Nomads without a home, they turned into a miasmatic concentration of their former selves, haunting the woods and looking for astray fae to consume and steal magic from. Once a fae had entered this stage, there was no returning.

“If you are unable to control your magic, you will become one of those _things_ – and we, the Unseelie Court, refuse to bear responsibility for that. So, you must prove to us your competence”.

The queen takes Jongdae’s unmarked arm, fingers tracing the flesh. Rather than the bruising grip of Titania’s touch, the Queen of the Unseelie Court touches with hands that burn. Her fingers leave a darken charcoal against his arm, etching a matching figure to the white buds on his right forearm – only this time, the buds have bloomed, ashen grey petals covering his arm; the lines themselves messy and undefined across his skin.

“You must manifest your familiar before the court by the time flowers on your left arm have all withered away,” a quirk of a smile and she motions to the white lilies Titania had inked onto his skin, “and before the flowers on your right arm have bloomed. If you can manage to call upon your familiar we shall welcome you into our court, if you fail to do so, you must return to the Seelie Court with your marked arms to await your death”.

Daring to look away from his arm and meet the Queens eyes, Jongdae gives a short nod in affirmation.

“However, you must have a sponsor during your time here. We cannot expect you to learn our way of magic by yourself now can we?” Standing from her throne, she takes his wrist, leading him back down the path to where the rest of the court is standing, waiting for her to address them, “Who will take this newfound child of the Unseelie Court?”

Hushed whispers wash across the crowd, fae protesting, at this stage without true control over his magic, he was too _dangerous_. Without proper guidance up to this point, was it even possible for him to _learn_ their way of magic? What would happen to them should they and the unclaimed fae fail to present a familiar? Silence slips through the crowd until they’re all just staring, unmoving, and unwilling to take the risk. That is, until a lone figure steps out from the shadows.

“Give him to me”. For all that the Seelie had spoken of the Unseelie’s terrible countenance, Jongdae doesn’t think he’s seen a more beautiful person in all his lifetime. Silver hair brushes past the tips of the fae’s ears, his complexion rivalling that of even Queen Titania. It was hard to believe that someone like _this_ could be a member of the Unseelie Court.

The fae continues, stepping out from the crowd and approaching the Queen with little more than a small nod of his head, “If he has already climbed the ranks of the Seelie Court without a proper blood tie, his magic must be immense – and if his magic was strong under the constraints of the Seelie, imagine what he could do when freed from their rules”. He does not touch but leans in so their noses are mere inches apart, mischievous smile skewing his lips, “I can teach him, I know I can. Besides,” turning away from the Queen and Jongdae, he glances back at the crowd, arrogant, “None of you even dare to touch a child raised by the Seelie fae. I can see it in your cowardly eyes”.

The Queen giggles at this, laughter soft and light as a child despite the overwhelming presence she commands. Without hesitation, she pushes Jongdae forward by his lower back in the direction of the other fae, giving her approval, “You shall have your wish Lu Han, he is yours. Train him well”.

⊷

Han’s home is sparse and small. Situated next to a barren lake in the middle of nowhere, the home groans with age under each step Jongdae takes across its wooden slats. The Unseelie fae settles Jongdae into a room tucked away in the corner of the house, window overlooking the clear water of the lake below. As Jongdae peers out the window during his first night, he watches the stars’ reflection in the glassy water, ripples pulsing the soft starlight as cicadas buzz in the background. Tranquillity washes over him, slowing his anxious heart and letting his eyes fall shut, worries pushed to the side for another day.

Following their departure from the Unseelie Court, there’s little explanation offered from Han beyond that of his name. Vaguely, he describes his own magic, entirely separate from Jongdae’s which bases itself in nature. In fact, this is all Han tells him before he leads Jongdae outside of the house and to the edge of the lake, eyes shining and eager.

“Show me what you can do”. There’s no reason to hesitate, and Jongdae doesn’t. Summons his lightning and winds it tight around him, letting the sharp blue luminate the sky above as lightning rains down around them. To the right, a bolt strikes mere yards away from Han; yet the fae never flinches away, doesn’t even blink. Instead, his face is serious, lips pulled into a frown and eyes never leaving Jongdae’s figure even after the lightning has subsided.

“It’s _wrong_ ,” is the last thing that Jongdae hears.

Before he can even process it, Han’s magic seeps into his pores and violates what cracks and holes it can find in Jongdae’s defences, tearing them down in one swift sweep until he’s helpless against anything else that may come his way. The magic feels like an electric blue of impulses, overriding synapses and connections; hopping over nodes of ranvier in his brain and pushing down potentials. Han controls what Jongdae thinks, down to how his brain functions and it’s fucking terrifying.

Jongdae screams. Screams as Han forces apart his magic bit by bit until it’s all encompassing. There isn’t anything he can do to fight back, not when the other has such a tight grip over his mind, locking his muscles in place as he stands there, vision black. He’s prying back Jongdae’s grubby-fingered grasp on his own magic, based on years of hearing how more than anything, it must be controlled.

When Jongdae releases the magic, it explodes out of his chest in a large pulse, knocking Han off his feet and down onto his knees in the muddied lakeside. For a moment there, Jongdae meets Han’s eyes and swears there’s a look of reverence in the man’s eyes. The moment his magic fully slips away from his tight control, Jongdae feels light. Pain caused by Han’s tugging disappears and Jongdae looks down to see red sparks flickering off and over his skin.

Lightning, his magic, has always been a part of him, but never has Jongdae seen _this_. A crimson red flickering with every second it dances over his skin – and even though it’s different, even though it no longer has that familiar blue tinge, Jongdae knows it’s _his_ magic. Flowing freely, the usual curl in his stomach is gone despite the presence of the sparks on his arms, the only thing assuring him that his magic was still there.

But just as quickly as it had appeared, the magic fades.

“What _was_ that”. Jongdae looks down at his hands, the familiar tightening constraint of his control over his magic returning to his chest. For a moment, Han looks just as dazed as Jongdae is, eyes still shining even after the red has faded. But the look disappears as quickly as the sensation of Jongdae’s magic reverts.

“I freed your magic. What you just felt? _That_ is what magic is _supposed_ to be like. Not buried beneath all those suffocating layers the Seelie fae insist on hiding it under, but flowing and _free_ ”.

Jongdae acts before thinking, processing angry emotions before he can process any logic and he snaps out at Han, “Don’t do it to me again – I don’t want you in my head”.

Standing, Han reaches out, palm caressing Jongdae’s cheek with a smile far too sweet to be sincere. Bristling, Jongdae slaps the hand away, Han remaining undeterred as he goes on to speak, “You think you know everything Jongdae, but you know nothing”.

The sparks – they’re the red of his fox.

“Get away”.

Jongdae can feel Han pressing into his mind again.

“Yes, _better_ ,” Han coos, “This anger you’re feeling, provoke it. Prod it until you lose all thoughts of reigning in your magic. I’ll say it again Jongdae, our magic is meant to be _free_. It’s meant to be messy and emotional and downright _disgusting_ because of how volatile it is; but that’s what makes it _beautiful_ ”.

“I told you to get _away_ from me”.

“If you never learn how to let your magic go, you’ll never be as strong as you want to be. You’ll always be weak and,” Han’s control slips into Jongdae’s mind once again, forcing his mouth and tongue open to finish the other fae’s sentence, “helpless”.

Anger rushes up inside Jongdae and he pushes Han back, watching as he stumbles and falls, fingers digging into the wet dirt beneath him. Lightning rains down as he approaches the man, but Jongdae doesn’t even realise, voice hardened as his eyes narrow in on Han’s, “You think _you_ know everything?” “ _You_ ,” he sneers, voice ugly, “You know nothing! You invade people’s minds and-”

Han isn’t looking at him, he’s watching their surroundings, and Jongdae jerks his head to find what has caught the other’s attention. It’s red. His lightning is red. Again, that same red lightning. The same red that had sparked off his familiar before it had disappeared. He catches his reflection in the lake and sees those same red sparks flicker and dance in his eyes, dangerous and seething as they turn to focus on Han once again.

“If I’m so weak why did you take me in?”

Han smiles and Jongdae wants to punch him.

“I wanted to take you apart bit by bit and put you back together again. I wanted to show you what real magic felt like and watch you crumble beneath the monstrosity of it all”. Han rights himself again, leaning in close and voice barely louder than a whisper, “Are you scared yet?”

“Yes”.

At that, Jongdae leaves Han standing there on the lakeside, abandons the figure as he escapes across the empty field. As he runs, the red sparks that slip from his fingers morph into a soft amethyst before shedding its colour and returning to the same familiar blue. Only when he can no longer see the reflection of the night stars in the lake does he fall to the ground, curling in on himself and running his hands through his hair as he sobs, loud and heaving.

This magic felt wrong.

It felt foreign and unfamiliar.

How could he possibly call magic like this his _own_?

Another day passes and another petal falls from the Unseelie Queen’s ashen mark.

Another day passes and another white lily blooms into existence on his forearm.

⊷

Days pass like this. Han pushes and _pushes_ and Jongdae can barely keep up with what’s being done to him and his mind.

One particular day comes when Han takes him out to the edge of the lake, staring down into clear water before he looks at Jongdae with that familiar saccharine smile, “Summon a red bolt of lightning and I’ll let you punch me. You’ve wanted to for a while, haven’t you?”

It doesn’t surprise Jongdae that Han’s been slipping into his thoughts again.

(But that doesn’t mean he’s any more forgiving of the fact).

So Jongdae does.

He finds that tendril of irritation he saves _solely_ for Han and strikes it down _hard_ into the centre of the lake, wordlessly observing as the water ripples and shakes with sparks that dance across its surface.

It’s red.

And Jongdae punches Han, watching with a blank expression as the fae falls into the lake.

He walks away, muttering, “You’re an asshole”.

Han deserved it.

**⊷**

From then on, Jongdae finds himself bonding with the other fae. Unexpected lakeside conversations become routine in their lives until eventually, every night after supper the two fae spend it together, watching as the summer’s sun disappears behind the horizon in some oddly quaint form of domestic bliss.

“I learned magic by myself – grew by myself,” Han offers one evening, “Unlike the Seelie Court, the fae of the Unseelie do not posses such rigid bonds of loyalty between family members. And when it comes down to it, no one wants to be friends with a fae that can control you. So I grew distant from my family and even those in the Unseelie Court until I ended up here”. A free hand motions to the lake and Han’s small home, and something about that sends a soft twinge into Jongdae’s heart. While the lake is _beautiful_ , Jongdae can’t feel anything but loneliness at the idea of staying here without anyone else. Junmyeon had always been there for him in some way or another, there was never a time Jongdae was _truly_ alone, and even just the thought of it brings shivers down his spine.

Jongdae too, shares bits and pieces of his past, the moonlight coercing out unspoken truths into the space between them, “I was never good at learning how to control my magic as a child. I’d watch as others would effortlessly direct their magic into compact illusions, or up the ageing roots of trees until the leaves sparkled under their influence. As a child, I wanted to be one of them, but as I grew older, I realised that would never happen”.

“Tell me,” Jongdae starts one night, eyes saccading away from Han as he speaks, “What does ‘free’ magic feel like?”

Han answers readily, “In the Seelie Court, all they do is wax on about _control_ , but for the fae of the Unseelie Court, magic is not meant to be controlled. Magic lives and breathes just as much as we do, and when you finally let loose on your control, the separation between you and your magic disappears. In the end, we’re one in the same with our magic, a single entity. Often, the magic directs _you_ more than you direct _it_.

“The reason your familiar disappeared was because rather than existing on free-flowing magic, it was simply a ball of tightly bound and _trapped_ magic. Our familiars aren’t made like that. Our _magic_ isn’t made _for_ that. Wild magic is meant to flow freely between us and our familiars. Just as much as it is our magic, it is also theirs”.

Contemplative, Jongdae draws his legs up to his chest, pressing his cheek against his knees as he inquires again, “Where are they? Your familiars I mean. Mine always- Mine _used to_ always follow me around, there was never a time when we weren’t together”. During all this short time that he had known Han, he had never witnessed the fae’s familiars, oddly absent from their everyday routine.

 “My familiars? They’re closer than you seem to think”. As if to punctuate his words, two koi emerge from the lake, swimming through the air to dance around Han, circling and twisting around the fae with all the ease of a fish in water. “They represent yin and yang. Yin,” Han presents an open palm and smiles fondly as one of the koi, black, circles around it, the familiar’s white eyes blinking back slowly, “and Yang,” he presents his other hand in a similar manner and the white koi joins its other counterpart in Han’s embrace, black eyes opening and closing in sync with Yin. Both of the fae’s hands run down his familiars’ scales, petting them as one might a dog before continuing, “Yin represents passivity, and Yang assertiveness – the two components of my magic”. In the next moment, he’s directing the Koi towards Jongdae with a small wave of his hand. They swim through the air in sync, cool scales pressing against the Jongdae’s cheeks and he can’t help but laugh.

⊷

“Do you trust me?”

“No”.

“Trust me anyways”.

Han pushes through his barriers once again. It’s gentler this time, his presence a soft prodding rather than an intrusive bombardment as he glides over Jongdae’s mind; the fae _asking_ rather than taking. For a moment, Jongdae thinks his vision has gone black again as it had the first time Han had done this. Eyes heavy, they refuse to open despite his best efforts, and nothing but darkness surrounds him.

Panic sets in the next moment when he realises he can’t move his body either, and he’s downright _terrified_ of losing his control like this. But before the fright has a chance to settle in, his vision returns as his eyes open in a moment flooded with relief. Only, when his eyes open he doesn’t see Han. Instead, he sees himself. Eyes glossed and flickering with red, “Beautiful” something inside of him says and it’s not his own voice that comes out of his mouth, rather its Han’s.

This, this isn’t him. This is _Han_. Han had taken control from him all those weeks ago, but this time, he’s _giving_ control, coercing Jongdae into his _own_ head. No, as Jongdae watches himself, he watches with eyes that are not his own. Speaks with words that sound nothing like himself because they are _Han’s_.

and when he looks down at himself, he sees the beauty that so many had told him of; sees high cheekbones that he wants to touch, sees curled lips that he wants to _kiss_ and jongdae’s mind is slowly becoming a mess of indiscernible thoughts unsure of where he begins and han ends they’re together and one in the same conjoined by mind and breath and-

And he kisses himself, eyes rolling into the back of his head as he returns to his own body only to open his eyes and see Han before him, all familiar soft features and unbearable smile.

“Kiss me again”.

They sink into summer-heated sand at the edge of the lake, pressing closer despite the heat as they share one kiss after another. Flecks of Han’s consciousness floats between them as small jolts of red static snap across their lips. In one moment Jongdae is kissing Han and in the next he’s kissing himself. In another, Han eases his control over Jongdae and makes him watch as Han looks into the other’s eyes and calls him beautiful; inching closer and closer until his control slips away and he kisses Jongdae again.

"You smell like lavender". Han is curled against Jongdae’s side, brushing back loose strands of hair and kissing the moles that scatter his features, nose nestling into the fae’s hair. Returning the affection, Jongdae presses closer, tilts his head back to share another kiss under the glimmering night time sky, "The Seelie Court does that to you". He remembers the place he used to call home. The lavender that adorned white marbled terraces and laced itself through the Queen’s hair. But now, eyes meeting Han’s, he can no longer bring himself to call the Seelie Court home.

No, _this_ is where he belonged.

Next to the lake that met with the stars, blending into one starry night sky.

Next to Han, where the lines between where he ended and Han started blurred together.

Together, like this.

This was home.

⊷

He’s never uttered this, but Jongdae’s magic comes from a place of upset and sheer anger so deep that sometimes it almost scares him. With every bolt of lightning he makes, all he can feel is hatred and disgust that curls in his gut, emotions concentrating themselves in the pit of his stomach.

But with this magic, something feels different.

The change comes gradually. It takes time for Jongdae to ease himself into the thought of letting his magic loose, of relinquishing control of something that he had so desperately held onto for all these years. Eventually, it comes in little bursts, steady steps towards progress that worm their way into his everyday life.

Little red sparks spring from his fingertips when he’s not paying attention, etching fingerprints into the wood of Han’s home wherever he goes. They dance across his skin when Han touches him, bouncing from Jongdae’s hands to the other fae’s hair as he pulls on the bright locks, bringing Han in _closer_. When they pull apart, Han’s hair is sticking up in odd little tufts and Jongdae presses the static down and away with a fond smile.

Day by day Jongdae gets used to his newfound magic. But day by day, the flowers on his arms shift. Almost two months have passed and more than two thirds of the white lilies on his forearm have blossomed. On the other arm, a matching amount of ashen grey flowers have wilted and fallen, now lying forgotten and dead in a clump next to his wrist.

Day by day, time is running out.

Summer is coming to a close by the time Jongdae accomplishes it. Standing in the field, Han sweeps over his mind, helping guide and connect long-forgotten circuitry and wiring in Jongdae’s brain. He trips over something that has Jongdae freezing, head jerking back and hands clutching at his ears in some asinine thought to shield himself from the dread that’s overtaking him, eyes widening. Han has long since left Jongdae’s consciousness and now it’s only Jongdae, tackling an onslaught of thoughts and memories that overwhelm him and seek to drive him mad with missed opportunities and unspoken affections.

This was too much.

Moments replay themselves in his head, and he finds himself only now noticing things that he had never seen.

He sees _love_ in Junmyeon’s eyes as a young Jongdae runs up to him, jumping onto his lap as candy-blue sparks jump out from his skin.

He sees _loyalty_ in his familiar’s eyes when they open for the first time, staring back at him with a rounded soft expression.

He sees _pride_ in Junmyeon when he presents Jongdae and his familiar to the court, the final step in proving that Jongdae was capable, if not more, than any other fae of the Seelie Court.

He sees _deceit_ in Titania’s eyes as she places the lilies onto Jongdae’s arm, officially condemning him.

He sees _longing_ in the Queen of Air and Darkness’ eyes as she leads him down the ruby and opal adorned path back to the court.

He sees _amusement_ in Han’s eyes as he volunteers to guide Jongdae.

He sees _resolve_ in the same fae’s eyes as he delves deeper into Jongdae’s mind for the first time, tearing him apart bit by bit.

He sees unadulterated _affection_ in Han’s eyes right before Jongdae punches him into the lake.

Now, he sees nothing but _love_.

From the sky, thunder roars and a red halo circles in the centre of the clouds. The red cuts through the greys and blues, drowning out any other colours until the lightning finally strikes home. Brilliant, bright, neon red like Jongdae has never seen before and it cracks as it strikes the ground before him.

In its wake, a single egg. Shell darkened grey, it’s larger than any egg Jongdae has ever seen, just barely small enough to fit into his arms. Bursts of red sparks run down its exterior, only calming when Jongdae tentatively reaches his hands out to touch it. Inside, Jongdae can feel the magic winding around itself in loose circles, thudding with a slow rhythm unmistakable for anything but a heartbeat.

Jongdae’s _familiar_.

⊷

Two weeks later and Jongdae’s crouched at the edge of the lake, staring down into the water as he lets little flecks of red sparks fall from his fingers and sizzle against the cool water. His left arm is almost completely barren, save for one last petal that hangs loosely onto its stem. His right arm blooms with white that covers the entirety of his forearm, a tiny bud that stretches up to his pinky finger all that remains until the lilies have fully bloomed.

From behind, Han approaches, settling down beside Jongdae and letting his head fall heavy against the fae’s shoulder. Two weeks later and there’s still no sight of Jongdae’s familiar beyond the grey-shelled egg. The summoned egg sits dormant, idle as Han’s koi swim circles around the circumference with each passing day. Inside, Jongdae can still feel the steady thrum of his familiar’s magic pulsate; but no matter what he tries, the familiar refuses to emerge.

“We’ve run out of time haven’t we?”

Han’s fingers lace with Jongdae’s, thumb tracing quiet circles against the back of his hand. He doesn’t reply to Jongdae’s question but the silence indicates nothing but affirmation. Two months and all he has to show for it is an egg; a dormant familiar that may never reach full maturity unless granted the time it needs to fully develop. Time that they don't have.

Head hanging low, Han turns his head to press soft kisses into the nape of Jongdae’s neck, voice soft as he murmurs, “Don’t think about it anymore”. When he presses into Jongdae’s mind his touch is soft, gentle, and caring as it weaves its way down familiar networks and pathways. Under Han’s influence Jongdae shuts his eyes, heart slowing as Han breathes for him; steady and reassuring. Perhaps it ought to alarm him that at this very moment he even his own breath lies beyond his control, but he can’t bring himself to care.

Tomorrow, he would return to the Unseelie Court and await the queen’s judgement.

⊷

Presenting his egg to the Queen of Air and Darkness brings nothing but murmured gasps and whispers, the court unanimously assured that this would be the end for the Unseelie fae raised by the Seelie Court. Even with an egg in his possession, the egg is no true indication of a familiar, as what is a familiar without shape?

In the presence of the hushed whispers behind him, Jongdae maintains his composure, finding the queen’s eyes and holding them with an unwavering stare as he speaks, “This is my familiar. Although it may lack a movable form, I _know_ this _egg_ is my familiar”. He places the palm of his hand onto the shell, sending a wave of soft red sparks sizzling down its shell, “I can feel it inside. My magic moves, unrestrained as any other fae of the Unseelie, within the confines of this egg. Without a doubt, this is my familiar”.

The Queen of Air and Darkness remains quiet, unmoving but for her eyes as they flicker between Jongdae and his egg. From behind the Unseelie Queen’s throne, a dark figure amasses in the distance, ruby red eyes gleaming in the shadows. Moving from its position and leaving the shelter of the Unseelie Queen’s throne, the dragon of the Queen of Air and Darkness emerges, figure formidable and heavy as it makes its way towards the gathering of the Unseelie Court.

Whispers of the Unseelie fae bubble up from the crowd once again, panicked hisses of, “ _The Shadow Dragon has arrived to kill the child_ ” reaching Jongdae’s ears and sending a shiver down his spine as he stands frozen, staring wide-eyed at the looming creature. Rarely did the Shadow Dragon make its presence known without the call of the Unseelie Queen; preferring to remain hidden in the darkness behind her. For it to have appeared before the court without summons indicates something that Jongdae can’t even begin to fathom.

From the corner of his eye, Jongdae spots Han making his way to the front of the crowd, visible stress radiating off the fae. About to step forward and intervene, the Unseelie Queen sends him a sharp look, dark eyes staring him down until he steps back and away from the front of the crowd. Whatever this was about to come, was something even Han was unable to prevent. With the dragon’s presence looming heavy over the court, it’s hard to depict any outcome but Jongdae’s death emerging from this scenario. Head arching back and jaw opening wide, the creature let’s out a roar before its neck snaps in Jongdae’s direction, breathing fire.

Jongdae’s end never comes.

Fire narrow and aimed, the Shadow Dragon’s fire falls solely onto Jongdae’s familiar, the fae watching in horror as fire envelops the egg; shell immediately beginning to fall away into ash under the flames.

And for a moment, it feels as if Jongdae’s magic is gone. All he can feel is the beat of his heart and the hard edges of the ground as his knees buckle underneath him, legs weak and breathing hard as he watches the last of the egg disintegrate before him. This was it. Just like that, Jongdae’s familiar was gone.

But then the egg is reforming, red sparks jumping to life and _expanding_ as Jongdae’s magic works without his direction; pulsating in the centre of the Unseelie Court. A blood-red bolt of lightning strikes down, bright and loud as it hits the ground with an ear shattering _crack_ , momentarily blinding all who dare witness it.

Vision returning just as quickly as it had left, in the wake of the bolt, a large dragon fills the clearing, almost identical to the Unseelie Queen’s Shadow Dragon. Its eyes share the same ruby-red as the Shadow Dragon, but the darkness on its scales seem to fall off with even the slightest of breeze, dusting the court in grey. Head ducking down, the dragon nudges Jongdae’s cheek with its snout, rousing the fae until he’s standing once again, grey smudging his cheek where the dragon had touched.

The Dragon of Ash.

The fae of the Unseelie Court erupt in confusion. It doesn’t make any _sense_ , only _royalty_ can summon dragons. So how can a fae without even a family name possibly summon a familiar as powerful as the Dragon of Ash. An illusion perhaps? But the Shadow Dragon speaks, voice dark and booming as it penetrates the thoughts of all present; red eyes sharped and as they narrow at the mere sight of the court fae, “You dare to remain standing before the only living descendent of the Queen of Air and Darkness?”

Not a single fae utters a word after that, all mute as they immediately bow their heads and look away – cowards when faced with a threat. All save for one: Han. Still pressed up against Jongdae’s side, the Dragon of Ash looks down at its master, eyes flicking in Han’s direction as Jongdae swerves around to meet Han’s own confused eyes. Tail stretching out around the fae, it slides up and behind Han, pushing the fae forward until he’s standing next to Jongdae in the centre of the court. An almost amused smile widens on the dragon’s face before it stands, hulking figure dusting the ground in ash with each step as it makes its way over to the Shadow Dragon; pressing its snout to the other creature’s before settling down next to it, reunited after decades of separation.

At long last, the Queen of the Unseelie Court moves, audibly tutting as she shakes her head. Though her stature is small, the presence of the Unseelie Queen dominates even that of the two dragons; the ash clearing a pathway beneath her as she makes her way across the court. It’s with the court’s audible surprise that Queen Titania emerges into the clearing, meeting her Unseelie counterpart with a blank expression. Smile smug, the Queen of Air and Darkness stops before Titania, easily looking up to her without fear, "Are you satisfied? I have won our bet Titania, the Unseelie lineage of the Queen of Air and Darkness remains strong".

_Long ago, there was a Queen._

She had lived a long life of solitude, without company as she stared and watched the festivities of the Unseelie Court from afar. She yearned for a young one of her own, a baby with soft strands of hair to run her fingers through as she waited on her throne. A child to explore the fields and return to her with stories of their day. A fae to help rule alongside her.

So she created a boy of her own blood. A perfect, tiny, baby boy.

_Long ago, there was a boy._

Born from the Queen of the Unseelie Court, the queen had foolishly bet her child in a game that she was sure to win. Only, she didn’t. Instead, she watched helplessly as the child was borne away from her to the Seelie Court, lying in wait for decades with the mere hope they would cross paths in the future. When they meet again, she knows right away the boy is hers. She touches his skin to confirm it and can feel her magic inside of him, suppressed and quiet, but there.

One cannot easily ignore their lineage.

Her child’s arrival signalled the closing of a decades long game. The grand finale to a game that had toyed with them all. Only if her offspring’s dragon would manifest itself in front of the fae and declare the boy as _worthy_ would she be able to keep her child. Only then would she have reclaimed what she had lost so long ago.

Today, she had won the game.

A small hand reaches up to grasp at Titania’s own, the Queen of Air and Darkness grinning up as the other Queen rolls her eyes at the soft gesture. She turns to face Jongdae, hand still entwined with Queen Titania’s. “We have much to talk about my child, but for now, rest well knowing that you are of my blood and a full member, a full _leader_ of the Unseelie Court: a Child of Air and Darkness. For that alone, your flowers shall be lifted”.

One sentence and just like that Jongdae’s tattoos disappear, arms finally barren.

There’s no chance to thank the Queen of Air and Darkness. Caught up in their own world, the queens soon depart the clearing by themselves, fading into the background of the court and disappearing into the forest.

Left to their own devices, Han fully embraces Jongdae, thumbs pressing against his cheek and wiping at the Dragon of Ash’s leftover soot. Voice fond, the fae’s hands give away more than his tone, trembling against Jongdae’s skin as he emits soft waves of relief, pressing into Jongdae’s conscious and enveloping it, as if looking for points of injury, “A Child of Air and Darkness, I ought to bow before you”.

For now, Jongdae lets Han slip into his mind and pull him away from their surroundings in a blissful moment of reunion. There was still much for Jongdae to process, but at this moment he finds relief in focusing on Han, letting the exhaustion that had hidden beneath heart-racing adrenaline finally expose itself. Truly, it had been a long day.

 “Don’t bother,” Jongdae steps closer into Han’s embrace, foreheads touching as he opens his mind to the other fae, reassuring him. Drawing Han’s hands away from his face, he laces their fingers, holding the other’s hand tight as he closes the distance between them for a kiss, “After all, you can’t kiss me from down there”.

**Author's Note:**

> a big thanks to our wonderful chenpionships mods as well as to everyone who has given me support in writing this. and another additional thank you for the original prompter - I hope you enjoy ♡


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